What Is Literature and What are Classics?

What Is Literature?

Literature is a form of verbal self expression that can be understood differently by others because pieces of literature usually have more than one meaning with some meanings deeper than others. These conflicting meanings are all valid as long as ones perspective can be explained. It exists to give individuals alternate ways of self expression and understanding different views. Literature is an aspect of humanity that stimulates, challenges and provokes thoughts.


What Are Classics?

In my opinion, classics are novels that basically live on. They may live on in the heart, in the mind, in the soul or in all the above. Classics cannot be identified by their popularity or how well liked they are but rather by their values and impact on the minds of those who have read and reread them. They usually have deeper meanings and morals which can only be uncovered by rereading them a multitude of times. Their lessons can be related to in one way or another through past experiences in life and other realistic life situations no matter how unrealistic the classic being read is. Conclusively a classic should be memorable for its deeper meaning or conflicting ideas and should linger psychologically and mentally on its readers perspective for some time.

Why Read the Classics?

Literature is a written work created to change ones perspective, convince a new idea, or to enforce a preexisting idea that leaves room for interpretation and discussion.
Response to Calvino:
Why read the Classics? This is a question broadcasted to a large variety of people who all are likely to have different answers depending on their age and interest. Most adults read the classics because they have a deep appreciation and desire to, whereas most children begin to read the classics because they are required to. Somewhere between childhood and adulthood there is a switch from reading the classics for requirement and reading the classics for pleasure. Calvino brings reason to this cause when he states "at a mature age one appreciates (or should appreciate) many more details, levels and meanings". This is a true statement, as people age they tend to look less into solutions that are right in front of them and like to take a more in-depth look into detail.
According to Calvino"the reading we do when young can often be of little value because we are impatient, cannot concentrate,  and lack expertise". If this is true then why even bother requiring the youth to read classics? It is important for the youth to read the classics in order to "form or shape to our future experiences".  In summary Calvino states that although children may not remember much about the classics they have read, when they go back to read them in the future they rediscover the things we have learned from reading the classic the first time.
This brings a a discussion about whether or not a classic has more to learn the first time it is read or when the classic is reread. Calvino states "A classic is a book which with each rereading offers as much of a sense of discovery as the first reading." Through past experiences this has proven wrong, the first time a book is read there is less of a focus on the details and more on the theme or larger overall message that is displayed. While when rereading a classic there is more time to pay closer attention to the detail and underlying lessons and discoveries hidden between the text.
Many people read the Classics to "contradict, criticize and argue" with them. I believe that this is a wonderful reason to read a classic, a classic would not be a classic if everyone agreed with the authors opinion. It is nearly impossible for a work to be agreed with by everyone who reads it, and if it is agreed with then it must not be very interesting or thought provoking. Even though reading classics have many different purposes for many different people, different reasons for reading does not change the interpretation or message one gets while reading.

What is a classic? Why do we read classics?

     Speaking broadly, literature is the collection of texts each written by one author and each having what it takes to endure the test of time. Through literature Authors document history, provoke thought and imagination, develop meaning and expose emotion, and push boundaries. The classics do most all of these things and do them better than every other competing piece of literature. Because of this, the classics need to be read by students. I agree with Calvino when he writes, "It is only during unenforced reading that you will come across the book which will become 'your' book." (6 Calvino). It is hard to put your entire self in a book when it is an assignment. Classics should offer the sense of discovery and stumbling across the classic itself should be the same. In order to create the treasured experience coveted by those who have already read the classics, those who haven't should read them in the proper state of self discovery. The problem is that students have a hard time picking out the classics for themselves and professors have the knowledge capable of pointing students in the right directions. Upon realizing this, students need a new stand on assigned reading and do the best they can to get the full experience out of reading classics.
     Becoming a classic takes a lot of time. Harry Potter is a perfect example of why a modern and very popular book will never become a classic. Harry Potter has "exhausted all it has to say to its readers" (5), the book's narrative while intriguing for a while comes a clean end leaving nothing more than to be put on the shelf and never reread. Walker Chance during his speech at commencement talked about packing things he believed to be cherished but things that were ultimately trash, among them, his Harry Potter books. If you asked Walker if he thinks The Odyssey and other classics should be thrown in the trash he would have a much different opinion. It is because these books can be reread each time with a new sense of discovery. Calvino's eighth definition describes a classic as a book which garners much critical discourse. Debate and critical discourse over Harry Potter is non-existant. At first glance, teenagers might say that the Harry Potter books are classics. But on closer inspection realize that they do not adhere to the definition. Harry Potter books are read widely, accepted and not disputed, and not worth a seconds read. Classics on the other hand "relegate the noise of the present (Harry Potter)" (8). This means that classics are omnipresent, they are masterpieces which have been forever read and loved from before I was born and will be long after my death. This is why we read the classics.

Calvino - Why Read the Classics?

What is literature and why does it exist?

Literature is the collection of all written works whose ideas possess the ability to be reflected on, argued, and contradicted. These works include novels, plays, poetry, and some academic articles. The purpose of literature is to promote or spark discussion on the topic presented. Authors from various cultures use literature to spread knowledge or their own opinion amongst their readers.

Response to Calvino

I was struck by Calvino's lack of explanation following his statement of the fourth definition of a classic: "a classic is a book which with each rereading offers as much a sense of discovery as the first reading." Such a critical factor should have been explained more in detail; however, he chose to let the statement stand alone. The fact that a classic novel can be reread over and over and still pose new ideas and remain intriguing is a crucial part of its very definition. Every classic work of literature needs to possess this quality. An author's goal is to provoke new ideas and make readers question their own beliefs and opinions. A piece of literature cannot accomplish this if it is one-sided.

The sixth definition Calvino suggests, that “a classic is a book which has never exhausted all it has to say to its readers”, is very similar to the fourth. Classics remain relevant throughout time. Their themes comment on the world the author was living in at the time they were written, but also last through centuries. The Odyssey by Homer has been recognized as a great epic work since its inception because of its great themes, one of which is temptation. On several occasions, Odysseus is forced to put aside his temptations in order to continue his expedition. The most well-known example of this is the encounter with the Sirens, women who have beautiful voices which lure ships and their crewmen to their deaths on the nearby rocks. Odysseus tells his men to tie him to the mast so that he may hear the Sirens’ voices but resist the temptation to sail near them. People must resist temptation like this (though maybe not as life-threatening) every day of their normal lives. One must have the strength to resist the urge to check Facebook while doing homework, or eat that last piece of cake, or text in class. The same basic principles apply just as fittingly as they did when the work was written. These are the qualities which are necessary for a book to be considered a classic.

Changing and Challenging People's Perspectives

Literature is a beautiful way of expressing ideas, emotions, themes, messages, and stories in a way that can be universally understood and is relatable. It allows the reader to become connected with a different world and gain a different perspective. Reading a piece of literature should provoke thoughts, imagination, questions, concerns, and many emotions for a reader. Literature can show us what life was like at a certain time or place, without just giving us facts, and can help us readers note the similarities and differences in our society and character’s society. Calvino is right in defining and describing literature in so many different ways because it is complex, and there is an abundance of literature.

Ultimately, literature exists so that people can see different perspectives on human nature, society, and the unknown worlds around us. It is there to help us question our own beliefs and challenge what we previously thought was true. While literature can be thought provoking, it can also serve as enjoyment in helping one cope with the stresses of every day life, serving as an outlet and escape that allows the person to think about different things.

Response to Calvino’s Why Read the Classics?

Calvino is right in describing many aspects of literature. He frequently notes how one piece of literature can be interpreted in many different ways. I agree with his suggestion that “we can never recommend enough a first-hand reading of the text itself, avoiding as far as possible secondary bibliography, commentaries, and other interpretations” (Calvino 5). It makes me think of works of literature that are made into movies. Many people choose to see a movie and then judge the book from what the movie was like, which is a terrible thing to do. For example, I watched the movie of Pride and Prejudice before reading the book and went into the book much more narrow-minded and with formulated opinions of each character. From the book, I could see completely different sides of the characters and relate much better to some of them. While people have produced films of classics such as Romeo and Juliet, it does no justice to the beautiful way in which Shakespeare writes and it cannot be compared to the plays that he wrote. Literature and film are completely different and it is much harder to interpret films in multiple different ways since you are just watching the story take place.

In addition Calvino greatly discusses the importance of rereading a classic so that one can gain more insight and discover new things about the book that he or she didn’t pick up on before. I agree with this, but I find that when people reread certain things over and over again, they start to analyze the work more than they look at the big ideas and simple messages being conveyed. Literature is a piece of work that authors spend countless hours working on, and every detail is important. If one spends the time to truly appreciate and understand the literature, it can become a classic that will be valued for many years to come.

What Literature is and Why We Read the Classics

Literature is the presentation of its characters’ journeys in order to create a community between people who share similar ideas and beliefs, allowing them to discuss and reflect on those ideas and beliefs together.

Calvino’s piece, Why Read the Classics?, is the author’s reflection on what important criteria he considers when reading/re-reading a classic. Though, before discussing the more detailed criteria, his second definition stands as the qualification for the remaining that follow. “The classics are those books which constitute a treasured experience for those who have read and loved them,” (Calvino 4). In essence, it could be reasoned that recognizing a classic is solely based on the reader. If reading the book was a genuinely pleasing experience for the reader, one that they desire to relive, then they have the option of deeming that book a classic. Yet, it is crucial to find a peer who dissents your decision. If you find that you are unable to do so it becomes a question of whether or not you have a unique relationship with the book.

            I’d like to move away from what defines a classic to discuss a certain portion of Calvino’s opinion. In expanding on his seventh definition of a classic, Calvino brings up a point that resonates well with a question I often ask in reading a book. He references Homer’s The Odyssey in questioning whether the literary analysis that has followed in the centuries after its original publishing was “implicit in the original text,” (Calvino 5). It is hard not to ponder that question when reading any literary work. It is very much possible the author wrote the story to just write it. While I do believe authors implement themes into their stories, it is hard to imagine one writing each sentence with the intent of creating rhetoric that has layers of interpretation. Yet, when rhetoric is clearly distinguishable in a piece, you must question whether the author wrote the story due to their interest in the setting and plot or rather to question the readers’ morals and ideals based on the theme they are implementing.

            Calvino’s final definition of a classic is ultimately his strongest throughout the piece, “A classic is a work which persists as background noise even when a present that is totally incompatible with it holds sway,” (Calvino 14). The most powerful works of literature are those that leave the reader unable to forget the themes displayed. In every aspect of life the lessons taught in the book can be applied and as you learn from your own personal experiences, those lessons can evolve.

            Calvino’s ultimate answer to why we read classics is to better understand our own personal experiences as well as the experiences of the world as a whole. They layout  a crude path to follow that is to be extended and reformed by us as we move along our life journey.

Work Cited

Calvino, Italo. Why read the classics? Trans. Martin McLaughlin. 1981. New York: Vintage

Calvino: Why Read the Classics

What is Literature?

Literature is any form of writing that causes emotions, positive or negative, in its readers and can be interpreted differently by each reader.

Response to Calvino's Why Read the Classics?

After reading Italo Calvino's Why Read the Classics?, I posed an obvious question to myself. What definition did I agree with the most? In thinking about my answer and reviewing the text, I discovered a definition I very much admired, the third definition, and a definition I disagreed with, the fifth definition.

            The third definition was my favorite definition for a classic. It states,

“…the classics are books which exercise a particular influence, both when they imprint themselves on our imagination as unforgettable, and when they hide in the layers of memory disguised as the individual’s or the collective unconscious.”                   (4)

I agree with this definition, because I believe a classic should be “unforgettable” (4). A classic must have the ability to leave a lasting impact on the reader. If it does not imprint itself in one’s mind forever as a great, astounding book, it is not a classic. To be a classic, a book must “establish a personal relationship with the reader” (6).  In this way, it becomes unforgettable. Additionally, even after the plot of the book is forgotten, the message and substance of the novel must remain implanted in the reader’s imagination. Essentially, the lessons and essence of the book must integrate itself into the readers “unconscious” (4). The details and plot of a classic may be forgotten, but it must shape the way people think and establish its themes into the reader’s thoughts forever. As Calvino wrote, “there is a particular potency in the work which can be forgotten in itself but which leaves its seeds behind in us” (4).

I believe the novel Cutting for Stone, by Abraham Verghese, to be a classic according to this definition. I read this book two years ago and never have I felt such an intimate relationship with the main characters. I knew their thoughts, their past, and their struggles. I actually cried for their pain and rejoiced in their successes. This novel established a relationship with me. I was sad when it was over; I felt as though my best friend was missing. It is an unforgettable book for me. The exact plot and details have slipped from my mind. I do not even remember some of the characters’ names. However, I do remember that the best characteristic in a doctor is an excellent bedside manner. I often recall the success the protagonist achieved after overcoming numerous obstacles with an intense persistence. The messages in Cutting for Stone established themselves in my “unconscious,” and I think on them regularly, without even realizing their origin (4).  For these reasons, I believe Cutting for Stone to be a classic and the third definition to be the most suitable definition.

I did not agree with Calvino’s fifth definition of a classic. He stated that “a classic is a book which even when we read it for the first time gives the sense of rereading something we have read before” (5). I believe a classic should be innovative and fresh. Whether it is historical fiction or political, a classic must inspire in the reader completely new thoughts and ideas. A classic cannot be repetitive or based off an already established idea. If it is not a new experience, I do not believe it to be a classic. Emily Brontë’s classic, Wuthering Heights, inspired gloom and frustration within me, emotions I detest. However, I had never felt so depressed by a book. It was a completely new reading experience. Though I did not enjoy the emotions instigated by the book, I believe it to be a classic because it was unlike anything I had ever read. “Reading a classic must also surprise us,” wrote Calvino (5). I do not believe you can be surprised when you “have the sense of rereading something (you) have read before” (5).

Overall, I believe Calvino proposes very intelligent definitions for the requirements of classics. I agree most with his third definition: classics must be unforgettable and become part of one’s being (4). I challenge his fifth definition: classics are books one feels he/she has already read (5).

Literature and Classics: An Inability to Remain Indifferent

What is literature, and why does it exist?

Literature is a medium for an author to express his or her views on a subject in the context of a story. It serves to make the reader more knowledgeable about a viewpoint through clear, concise, narrow writing.
Literature exists because most people have an opinion, and some want to make that opinion known. It exists because sometimes talking is not always the best way to express an idea. Slow work, like writing, makes a point more cohesive and even beautiful; it perfects an argument.

Why should I read the classics?

Italo Calvino makes a strong point when he writes, "'Your' classic is a book to which you cannot remain indifferent, and which helps you define yourself in relation or even opposition to it" (Calvino 7). In classics such as Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre, I found myself relating to the strong women in these books. I can identify with Elizabeth Bennett or Jane Eyre, and that makes me enjoy the book more fully as well as better see the message the writer wants to convey because I can put myself in the story. As well, a book such as Catcher in the Rye is also a classic because of my strong feelings against it. I detested Holden Caulfield, but because of that, I was still able to understand the author's purpose in writing the story because I felt such a fixed emotion against the main character. Classics enable a person to better understand his or herself through love or hatred of characters or a book itself.
I also agree with Calvino's point that a classic is a book that "represents the whole universe" (Calvino 6). Although The Kite Runner may be too recent of a book to be considered a classic, it was the first book to come to mind when I read the previous statement.  The Kite Runner was only about Afghani everyday life and how it is shaped by the Taliban, but reading this book really gave new meaning to my own life and how the universe interacts. This book is about a small sect of the world, yet someone like me, a white female living in Greencastle, Indiana, was touched by its message. Its because this book was about human nature and how too much power can put the world off-balance. Calvino is correct in his statement because most classics can relate to all humans if looked at in broader terms.

Calvino, Italo. "Why Read the Classics" Why Read the Classics? New York: Pantheon, 1999. 3-9. Print.

Literature and Classics: Calvino's take on "Sense of Discovery"

            I find nothing wrong with defining literature in the light of the classics; after all, the classics are the first to come to mind when asked to define literature!  If literature is anything written that is able to carry with it a sort of lasting artist merit, then it would do me well to first attempt to define the phrase "lasting artist merit" as it applies to literature.  Calvino's first definition of "lasting artist merit" would go something like this:

            1.) Anything that, once read, translates or has the potential to translate as "a treasured experience" (Calvino 4). 

Calvino's insistence upon the fact that a second, third, or fourth reading of a piece of good literature--a classic--has the ability to reinvent within the reader the same "sense of discovery" while simultaneously teaching the reader something completely new about his or her self is astounding yet completely true (Calvino 5).  That would have to be my answer for why literature still exists: It has the ability to change us and the ability to change with us, so that we are different people every time we reread it.  That's a powerful thing.  I am of course, as I knew I would, beginning to confuse the definitions of "literature" and "classics."  For the sake of clarity from now on, my use of the word "literature" refers only to "good literature," which goes hand-in-had with the definition of "classics" in my opinion.  

            It was useful, then, to have read Calvino's "Why Read the Classics" prior to trying to formulate for myself a definition of literature.  Calvino and I seem to share the same opinion when it comes to the influence of a classic: it must be interesting and controversial enough to elicit critical discourse, yet outlasting and powerful enough to dismember such opposition.  His words "A classic is a a work which constantly generates a pulviscular cloud of critical discourse around it. but which always shakes the particles off" really stuck with me and brought to mind the question of relevance (Clavino 6).  Classics must be culturally, politically, universally relevant.  That is why I struggle with Calvino's claim that the true defining aspect as to what makes a piece of literature a classic is its ability to "help us understand who we are and the point we have reached..." (Calvino 9).  Does this not make the classification of a true classic entirely subjective? With that being said and as far as Harry Potter goes, Calvino's 11th definition of a classic states : "'Your' classic is a book to which you cannot remain indifferent, and which helps you define yourself in relation or even opposition to it."  All I can say is that I'm glad Calvino made the distinction between "classic" and "your classic."

                                                                             Work Cited

Calvino, Italo. Why read the classics? Trans. Martin McLaughlin. 1981. New York: Vintage

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